5 passengers on United Airlines flight injured after plane hits severe turbulence, diverts to Texas airport

At least five passengers aboard a United Airlines flight bound for Houston were injured Sunday night when the plane ran into severe turbulence, forcing it to make an unexpected landing, according to reports.

The plane, which was carrying 29 patrons and three crew members, took off from Springfield, Missouri, but hit a snag and ended up being diverted to the Waco Regional Airport around 6:30 p.m., Ryan Dirker, coordinator of the McLennan County Office of Emergency Management, told the Springfield News-Leader.  

The five injured passengers were taken to a nearby hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, the newspaper reported.

SkyWest, which operated the flight, said the plane landed safely after hitting the turbulence.

“SkyWest and United are making sure the injured customers get the care they need and are working to line up new transportation options for everyone on this flight,” the company said in a statement to KXXV.

Another two flights, both operated by American Airlines and headed to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, were also diverted to the Waco airport because of the rocky conditions, interim airport director of aviation Michael Reisman said, according to the station.

The United Airlines plane is expected to remain in Waco for at least the next day so mechanics can inspect it before it takes to the sky again, he said.

The rough traveling conditions come at a time when there have been several terrifying – and deadly — plane crashes including the mid-air disaster over the Potomac River that killed all 67 people onboard in January and a Delta flight that flipped over during a crash landing in Toronto last month in which everyone miraculously survived.